Since the advent of gold sellers, players have discussed the ethics of buying gold with real currency, as well as what would if Blizzard started selling gold. Then came the Guardian Cub, and suddenly Blizzard was allowing gold buying and selling via a vanity pet.

Later, Blizzard hit us with the announcement that Diablo III would have an auction house that uses real money. Now that the Real-Money Auction House has been launched, the debates have heated up. This guide is to help you decide, debate, or deliberate about real money in Blizzard games.

Real-money transactions for WoW

• The implications of a real-dollar auction house
• What WoW can learn from other transaction models, part 1 and part 2
• Guardian Cub pros and cons
• WoW's immune system and the gold selling virus
• Blizzard responds to Guardian Cub controversy
• Guardian Cub pet available for purchase
• How much is a Guardian Cub worth?
• Guardian cub taking a bite out of third-party gold sales

Diablo III's Real-Money Auction House

• Introduction to the Diablo III economy for WoW players
• Q&A on Diablo's Real-Money Auction House
• $1 and 15%
• Blizzard's battle in South Korea over the RMAH
• The relationship between Blizzard and Paypal
• Authenticator required for the RMAH
• Diablo III RMAH now open for the U.S. region
• Battle.net balance funds WoW game time

Blizzard resources regarding the Guardian Cub

• Gold selling stance and the Guardian Cub
• Guardian Cub announcement
• Guardian Cub Q&A

Blizzard resources regarding the Diablo III RMAH and related topics

• Diablo III Auction House general information
• Diablo III global play
• Battle.net Authenticator FAQ
• Battle.net Mobile Authenticator FAQ
• Battle.net SMS Protect FAQ
• Battle.net Balance FAQ

... all you need to know about Blizzard's real-money transactions but were afraid to ask. Or not. You probably weren't afraid to ask. In fact, the questions and ensuing debates have been heating up all posts on the topics. So now you have a comprehensive reference when you want the facts on your side.

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Tags: diablo, diablo-3, diablo-iii, guide, Microtransactions, real-money-auction-house, real-money-transactions, rmah, we-miss-mat

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Economy, Diablo 3